This post on plastic is a big one for me for two reasons.
1) I don't actually want to dive head long into such a largely controversial topic, and 2) I've been feeling convicted about making this change and I know it won't be easy.
Writing about the dangers of plastic will undoubtedly start a chain of events that eventuate in me ridding my home of said plastic.
Remember that as you're [perhaps skeptically] reading this post, I, too, am reluctant to make these changes.
But,
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do.
The hard part is doing it." - Robert H. Schuller
With that said..
Why am I writing a post on plastic? Plastic is a normal part of life, and it's all around us. It was designed to significantly decrease the amount of waste that we humans produce every day, and it truly has. It gives us a life of convenience, it can be recycled, and it's very inexpensive.
Twelve combs from the dollar store for a buck?
Hollaaaaa.
But what if this plastic is making us sick?
When I say sick, I don't mean, "maybe, someday, one day far off, could-be never, it ain't gonna happen to me", kind of sick.
I'm actually telling you, with some level of educated confidence, that the collective amount of plastic in your life is making you sick.
Quietly, covertly, but undoubtedly, doing something to your body that shouldn't be happening.
You know that whole thing about BPA? I'm sure you've heard plenty about it.
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, and it's a chemical that is used to harden and line the inside of many plastic [and yes, also metal] containers, such as water bottles, food containers, etc.
BPA is an unstable compound, and will easily "leech" into food or other types of material, especially when heated.
Think: dishwasher and microwave.
The awful thing about BPA is that it's a known endocrine disruptor, and here's why that's a problem, according to motherearthnews.com:
"Many of these chemicals cause problems because they can mimic the action of natural estrogen. These foreign estrogens (also known as xenoestrogens) can upset normal hormonal balance, stimulate the growth and development of reproductive tumors (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy. Worse, many can cross the placenta to affect the fetus and get into breast milk. Chemicals such as phthalates have an antiandrogenic effect, meaning they interfere with testosterone and other hormones responsible for male sex characteristics. Exposure to these agents during fetal life and early childhood can derail normal sexual development and heighten the risk for diseases that don’t become apparent until adulthood, such as cancer."
Remember all that talk about hormonal imbalances and cysts, tumors, etc. in my previous posts? Well, plastics [including BPA-laden plastics] wreak havoc on our bodies and can cause these things to occur.
Simply by using them.
Due to the pressure of us consumers to terminate the usage of BPA in plasticware, manufacturers were forced to stop producing BPA-laden products that are made for daily use. Smartly, the average consumer was boycotting this BPA stuff, and the companies listened! But it wasn't until then that the FDA recanted their previous statement about BPA being safe in "small quantities".
[Whatever that means.]
I find it largely concerning that the Food and Drug Administration would change their mind about something after, first, the public, and secondly, manufacturers deciding it was unsafe.
It should absolutely be the other way around.
But moving on.
So that's why you see water bottles and sippy cups boasting "BPA Free!"
Many American consumers then took a huge sigh of relief and thought to themselves, "Well, we've dodged that bullet. Now we can go back to our lives and quit worrying."
And, we have. Many of us, at least. But guess what?
Turns out that BPA-free plastic is just as bad as the former.
Boom. I said it.
Studies have been done wherein BPA-plastics, such as toddlers' sippy cups, have been sent away to labs for chemical testing, and the results have been frightening. All such plastics, even BPA -free ones, still contain estrogen-mimicking hormones. Why is this a problem?
Well, as mentioned above, "xenoestrogens" are responsible for causing issues such as breast cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease, all because of how they affect the cells in our body. In one study, a xenoestrogen [Atrazine] administered in laboratory to a male frog resulted in a female frog.
Seriously.
Some of the BPA-free plastics have even rated higher on the toxin scale than their villainized BPA counterparts! What?!
Yes, the truth is that while companies have bowed to the demands of American consumers to stop producing items with BPA in them, they've found loopholes to produce mass quantities of inexpensive items with chemicals just as harmful. Why?
Because it's cheap, fast, and easy money.
Think: Big Tobacco. Money, money, money.
Am I a conspiracy theorist? No.
Am I am realist? Absolutely.
With all of these chemicals that we're exposed to on a daily basis, is there any wonder that our cancer rates have skyrocketed?
According to the World Health Organization [WHO], cancer rates are estimated to increase by 70% in the next two decades. 70%!!
As it currently stands, one in three people will get cancer in their lifetime.
You and two other people you love are standing in a room - One of you will likely die from cancer.
As a child whose lost a parent due to cancer, I can tell you without a doubt that you do NOT want cancer.
It's a horrible, horrible disease.
But truthfully, cancer does happen. It's a natural occurrence that results from abnormal cells who don't die when they should. Cancer even sometimes happens to animals in nature - It's just a fact of life.
But it's an indisputable fact that cancer is something we are now bringing upon ourselves as a society at an alarming rate. Is it true that everyone who has cancer has made themselves sick? No, but certainly the reason for cancer rates skyrocketing in the 21st century is due to poor lifestyle choices, and exposure to harmful chemicals.
The days of glass milk bottles and making bread from scratch are over. Everything is now in plastic containers and plastic bags. Just look around you. As I've been compiling thoughts in my head this week for this post, I've staggered at the realization of how much plastic is actually in my life. It starts first thing with my toothbrush in the morning, and ends with my bottle of lotion at night. It's everywhere.
Danger hidden in plain sight.
And what's worse is we take this plastic, limited in its ability to perform, and we expose it to high heats, expecting it to be safe.
When was the last time you threw a plastic cup in the dishwasher that you thought the better of once the wash cycle had already started? Or when was the last time you microwaved that take-out, and thought.. "I hope this isn't an awful decision." And I know we're all guilty of this one - You get back in your car after a hot day, and that blasted bottle of water is still in your console. Dang it. But oh well, it's just a swig - No big deal.
But you know what? I think it is a big deal. I think we need to start being a whole lot more skeptical about what we're doing on a day to day basis with our precious bodies.
So here's the thing.
I know my lifestyle needs a change in this regard. I know I need to start using more glass and stoneware, and I have to stop microwaving plastic. But there's a LOT of work to be done, and I'm honestly a bit overwhelmed. I've got 20 sippy cups in my cupboards, a plastic water bottle for the gym, and a fridge full of Tupperware. This is going to be an uphill battle, and, realistically, a comprehensive change may take years.
But you know what?
My family is worth it.
And so is yours.
To health, happiness, and good stewardship!